Telluride-based materials have been used as thermoelectric materials at temperatures close to room temperature. Oxide thermoelectric materials that are harmless, heat resistant, and inexpensive have been studied recently. These materials can be formed as bulk compacts by baking at a high temperature (for example, baking at 1,300° C. or higher). For example, the article by Michitaka Ohtaki et al., J. Appl. Phys., 79(3), pp. 1816-1818 (1996) describes a bulk sintered compact of Zn0.97Al0.03O and the thermoelectric properties of this material at room temperature and above.